In Venice, Los Angeles, I witnessed a drunk driver sideswipe (practically plow through) a parked car. I called LAPD non-emergency number, gave the license plate number, and they actually called me in to see if I could identify a driver based on mug shots– a month later, but still. And they said that the car owner’s insurance would have to pay for the damage either way, even if we couldn’t identify who was driving.

So it doesn’t seem like there is a “judge” issue or an inability to look up drivers. Granted, LA is a much MUCH bigger city with much more money, but still.

He had the license plate database IN HIS CAR that he could have pulled up. Wouldn’t do it. Wouldn’t give it to me, or even call the owner of the other car.

We pay these guys $70k-$100k salries and give them pensions.

I did get a call from some other detective after I filled out a contact form online. When I asked if he could help me get it back, he recommended that I set up a meeting with the seller in a public place, tell him my unit was stolen and that I wanted to check the serial number, and then dial 911 — “90% of the time, they just run away.” Um, what about the other 10%? When I mentioned that this didn’t sound safe, he said: “Bring a guy with you.” Perfect! If I’m gonna get knifed by a crackhead thief, why not let a friend in on the action?

The cops had a chance to question someone who may have been responsible for several break-ins/thefts, and they did nothing. Lame. And that document they sent? Yep, it’s depressing, all right. My GPS was hidden in a closed compartment, and nothing else was visible in the car. I park on the street, across from a streetlight and in front of my lighted porch.

Nothing will “prevent” car prowls, except possibly the Seattle PD getting off their asses and actually trying to catch the losers who are doing it. Sounds like that won’t happen anytime soon.

..or the person who shot the dog with the hunting bow?

..or the insurance arson at the marina?

Snarkiness aside, how useful is a block watch at 3:30 in the morning?

Also, crime in general is up. A neighbor of mine has had items stolen from their front porch, as well as from their garage in recent weeks.

I’ve seen pickup trucks full of “junk” circling and circling the neighborhoods slowly during the day. I believe they may be eying what they can steal next.

Seattle Police (IMO) are quite useless when it comes to helping with any crime not involving murder. I’ve contacted SPD for assistance with noise ordinance violations, car vandalism, my parked car being totaled by a drunk driver, identity theft – just to name a few and each and every time I have been completely blown off by them. They say they are too busy to investigate any of these issues.

So, I believe it would take a neighborhood watch program to make a difference.

In a 12 month period we must have been broken at least 6 times – we are based on N Pacific St, lower Wallyhood..we wait for hours for any officer to come, only to find they can only help us if we basically hand them a high definition picture of the thief, a name & address of their abode. So what their role is I do not know – except to take a report of the incident. Don’t they problem solve or investigate at all? I’d love to hear from others about break ins…..